Motorsport: Davison replaces Halliday for V8 SuperTourer final

With regular co-driver Matt Halliday facing shoulder surgery in the US, top New Zealand V8 SuperTourers team International Motorsport has drafted in Australian tin-top ace Alex Davison to partner Ant Pedersen in the final round of the series at Ruapuna Park next weekend.

"Matt did a great job for us at the first two enduro rounds, but the reality is that the driving he has done here and in Australia over the last three months has aggravated an old rotator cuff injury which needs dealing with and dealing with now," International Motorsport manager Nick Williamson said. "In an ideal world, Matt would have been able to complete his programme with us this year but he can't so we were lucky that Alex was able to step in at what is really quite late notice to take his place."

Davison, 33, is a former Carrera Cup Australia champion and V8 Supercar series front-runner who shared a Dick Johnson Racing Ford Falcon with James Moffat in this year's V8 Supercar series endurance rounds at Sandown and Bathurst. With just one round to go he is lying second in the 2012 Porsche City Index Carrera Cup Australia points standings behind long-time Kiwi sparring partner Craig Baird.

Davison tested a V8 SuperTourer earlier in the year and is looking forward to getting back behind the wheel next week.

"I originally did a deal with the Knights to do the enduro rounds with Andy but then they sold their car so I was left without a drive.

"The obvious comparison is with a V8 Supercar but, from my experience with Andy's car, the V8 SuperTourer is more nimble and you can drive it a little more aggressively."